The monolith pulsed beneath Ares's fingertips like a living heart buried in stone.
A low hum filled the chamber, vibrating through the floor and up into his bones. The symbols carved along the walls flared to life, casting an eerie crimson glow across the space. Dust swirled in the air, caught in unseen currents of energy.
Kael stepped back, eyes wide. "What is it doing?"
Ares didn't answer. He couldn't. His body was no longer entirely his own.
A wave of sensation crashed over him—memories not his own, visions of a world long gone. Towering spires rising from red canyons. Beings of light and shadow walking among wolves with glowing eyes. And then—
Pain.
Agony.
The collapse of something vast and powerful.
And finally, silence.
Ares staggered backward, gasping for breath as the connection severed. The monolith dimmed instantly, its glow fading to a dull ember.
He fell to one knee, clutching his head as if trying to contain the storm inside his mind.
Kael rushed to his side. "Ares!"
"I saw it," Ares whispered, voice hoarse. "I saw what happened here."
Kael helped him stand. "Tell me."
Ares looked up, meeting his leader's gaze. "Mars wasn't always dead. It was alive once—with them. The ones who built this place. They created us—to survive after they were gone."
Kael frowned. "You mean… we were made?"
Ares nodded. "Not just evolved. Engineered. To carry on their legacy. But something went wrong."
"What?"
"They tried to stop it," Ares murmured. "But whatever they feared—it came anyway."
Outside, the wind howled through the tunnels like a mourning spirit.
---
Elsewhere – Dr. Sophia Patel's Lab
Sophia sat hunched over her terminal, fingers flying across the keyboard as she cross-referenced new data from Ares's last neural scan. The readings were off the charts—his brain activity had spiked beyond anything she'd ever seen in human or werewolf subjects.
She tapped into the hidden MarsNet frequency, bypassing Federation firewalls with practiced ease. Minutes later, a secure line opened.
"Dr. Patel," a familiar voice greeted. "You've been busy."
Sophia exhaled sharply. "Agent Reyes. I assume you're calling because you know something bad is coming."
Captain Linh Reyes, former Earth Federation intelligence officer turned underground contact, responded grimly. "We intercepted a classified directive from Earth Command. Subject: Echo Protocol."
Sophia's stomach twisted. "Echo? That's what they're calling Ares?"
Reyes confirmed, "They believe he's the key to unlocking the Martian ruins. If they can't control him, they'll neutralize him."
Sophia clenched her fists. "That means…"
"They'll kill him."
There was a pause before Reyes continued. "Patel, listen carefully. You need to get Ares out of there. Now. The Federation isn't sending diplomats—they're sending strike teams."
Sophia swallowed hard. "How much time do we have?"
"Less than seventy-two hours."
The line cut out.
Sophia stared at the dark screen, heart pounding.
She had to warn Ares.
And fast.
---
Back Beneath Olympus Mons – The Aftermath
Kael led Ares deeper into the ruins, past crumbling corridors and forgotten chambers. The further they went, the more the structure seemed to respond to Ares's presence. Walls shifted subtly, revealing hidden pathways. Doors that had remained sealed for centuries slid open at his touch.
"This place knows you," Kael murmured.
Ares barely heard him. He could feel it too—the ruins reacting to his very existence. As if they were waking up.
They entered a massive hall lined with towering statues—figures of both Martians and werewolves, standing side by side. At the center stood a pedestal, upon which rested a crystalline sphere pulsing faintly with inner light.
Kael hesitated. "Do you think it's safe?"
Ares reached out without hesitation.
The moment his fingers brushed the surface, the entire chamber erupted with energy.
Light exploded outward, illuminating every wall, every carving, every symbol. The statues' eyes glowed, and for a brief moment, Ares swore he saw them move—just slightly, as if watching him.
Then came the voice.
"The Key has awakened. The Hollow Moon stirs."
The sound reverberated through the chamber like thunder trapped in stone.
Ares staggered back, panting. His vision blurred, and he collapsed to his knees.
Kael caught him before he hit the ground.
"Ares!" Kael shook him gently. "Talk to me!"
Ares coughed, blinking rapidly. "It's happening," he rasped. "Something's waking up under Mars."
Kael's expression darkened. "Then we need to prepare."
---
Meanwhile – Rogue Wolf Encampment
Renn stood atop a jagged ridge, staring down at the distant glow emanating from beneath Olympus Mons.
His second-in-command, a scarred wolf named Vex, approached cautiously. "Did you see that?"
Renn nodded slowly. "Yes. Something changed."
Vex narrowed his eyes. "What does it mean?"
Renn smiled coldly. "It means our enemy just became something far worse than either of us imagined."
Vex hesitated. "You still want to fight him?"
Renn turned to face him. "Of course. But now, we won't be alone."
He gestured toward the horizon, where a formation of sleek, black aircraft hovered above the Martian plains.
"They're here," Renn said. "The humans."
Vex stiffened. "The Federation?"
"They don't care about us anymore," Renn said. "Only him."
---
Later That Night – Urgent Meeting
Back at the den, Ares and Kael gathered the remaining loyal wolves.
"We don't have much time," Ares said, his voice steady despite the turmoil within. "The Federation is coming. They want me. And they won't stop until they take what's inside me—or destroy it."
Kael stepped forward. "We need to act. We must protect our people. We must protect Ares."
A younger wolf raised his hand. "And if we can't?"
Ares met his gaze. "Then we make sure they never reach the ruins."
Silence settled over the room.
Then, one by one, the wolves nodded.
Even those who had doubted him now understood.
This was no longer just about survival.
It was about destiny.